Chapter Four: The Truth
Tetra laughed triumphantly as she received the long awaited Mountain Dew. The teenage girl took a swig of the drink and sighed as the cool liquid flowed down her throat. "Now that's a drink!" Tetra knew without a doubt that Mountain Dew truly was the brew that was true. She smiled to herself as she headed back to the spot where she had left Sarah. They still had a couple minutes before first period; so perhaps she could pester her friend into taking a sip of her yellow goodness . . . For there was truly nothing like a cold beverage.
As Tetra got nearer to where she had left her friend she realized that something was wrong. The was a large crowd surrounding one of the hallways, corners and from the comments flying through the air, someone was getting bullied.
Tetra used her weight to push past the students, for once grateful that she was overweight.
Then she saw her leaning against the wall. Sarah was crumpled on the ground sobbing hysterically, the perfect picture of someone who had gone insane with grief. She looked awful.
Not five minutes ago Sarah had been well groomed, with her soft hair straight and even. Now it was a matted disarray sticking up in every direction. But all this was trivial to her eyes . . . Those usually happy green eyes now looked half crazy, almost as if she had seen a ghost.
Tetra ran over to Sarah's side, the Mountain Dew in her hand completely forgotten. The large girl bent down next to her anxiously examining her.
"Sarah what happened?"
"It's over," Sarah whispered between sobs, shaking her head violently from side to side. "It's over!"
"What's over?"
Sarah just shook her head again in despair.
Tetra gently grabbed her friend's shoulder and helped her stand up from the floor with some difficulty. "Let's get you out of here, honey."
The flock of students that had surrounded Sarah watched, laughing as the two girls stood. Most shooting nasty insults their way.
"What a freak," one of the football jocks said, and the group laughed even harder.
Tetra looked at her friend to see her reaction to this, but Sarah didn't seem to care. She was still sobbing violently, her whole body shaking from the effort.
"You're the freaks," Tetra retorted to the crowd as she muscled her way past them and lead Sarah through the school's main doors and back outside to her truck.
"What are we doing?" Sarah asked choking through another sob.
"Something is obviously going on." Tetra replied unlocking the doors. "And I doubt either of us could focus on school work right now."
She pulled open the passenger door without any trouble and gestured for her Sarah to get in.
Sarah obediently got in the truck and tried to stop crying, which seemed to impossible at this point. Tetra laid her Mountain Dew in the truck bed and grabbed a cold bottle of water in its place. She handed it to Sarah, through the open door.
"Drink it."
Sarah opened the water with shaky hands and drank a sip. Satisfied, Tetra jumped in as well and started driving. Sarah tried to drink as much water as possible, but soon lost interest in the bland taste that left her mouth numb.
Tetra drove faster than usual and constantly glanced over at Sarah, as if she expected her to breakdown again. As Tetra observed her best friend, she watched as Sarah looked straight ahead with the saddest expression Tetra had ever seen; like she had lost all her hope within an instant.
It scared Tetra to see her friend this depressed. . . She had to find out what happened.
Sarah didn't ask where they were going, for she didn't really care. The girl could only think about Jareth and what he had said.
'Your dreams were never meant to be taken, but it the only way, my love.'
Sarah couldn't help but ponder his words. The Goblin King seemed to care about her so much and yet he was taking her away from all that she loved. It didn't make any sense.
Tetra pulled into the town's Carl's Jr. and got out. Sarah followed her lead and they went inside the warm restaurant and sat down at a small booth in the back.
"So," Tetra asked eyeing her anxiously. "You wanna tell me what the hell happened back there?"
"I don't know if I can Tetra." Sarah said. Today she truly felt like a damsel in distress. Thankfully her sobs had stopped, but the tears continued to roll down her pretty face.
"Sarah I hate seeing you like this. I need to know what's going on so I can help you, so please try."
Sarah sat staring at the tabletop, not giving in.
Tetra sighed and stood from the table throwing her hands up. "Fine then, have it your way!" She started walking towards the counter. "I'm going to order some food, you want anything?"
"I'll have whatever you get." Sarah said absentmindedly.
Tetra shook her head muttering to herself as she went to order the food, looking back at her several times before she reached the counter and began to order.
Sarah took a deep breath, trying to clear her head. Should she tell Tetra? She began to tell herself no, when she realized that she had nothing to lose. At midnight she would have to leave with Jareth; so if Tetra thought she was crazy it wouldn't matter. Besides, Tetra would have to believe when her best friend disappeared without a trace.
Tetra came back just then with two large cups filled with soda and ice. She placed them on the table and sat down. "They said the food will be ready in a few minutes. I got you Dr. Pepper cause they were out of Mountain Dew." She pushed one of the cups towards her.
Sarah accepted the cup and drank it gratefully. She needed some caffeine if she was going through with this.
"Tetra . . ?"
"Yes?"
Sarah shifted uncomfortably. "Do you remember when we first met?"
Tetra nodded.
"Remember how I was extremely jumpy for the first few months?"
"Yeah, it was almost like you thought someone was watching you." Tetra said thoughtfully at the memory. "You looked freaked out all the time."
"Someone was watching me Tet." Sarah admitted solemnly.
"Is that what this is about? Someone's watching you? Like a stalker?" Tetra asked startled.
Before Sarah could answer their number was called. Tetra groaned loudly as she stood up. "Hold that thought, honey. I'll be right back." The large girl ran to the front of the restaurant with speed Sarah didn't know she had, claimed the food, and ran back to the table.
"Please, continue." Tetra huffed as she plopped down in the spot across from Sarah.
Sarah gathered her confidence and began her tale. She told Tetra everything; all about the Underground, her friends and about the Labyrinth itself. But most importantly, the Goblin King.
Sarah told Tetra about the Goblin people and all the different people and things she had met on her journey. And lastly she told her about the conversation she had had with Jareth almost an hour prior.
Tetra sat silently the whole time. She ate her burger as Sarah talked; listening intently. Sarah couldn't remember a time that the girl had been so quiet. And by the time Sarah finished her story Tetra was done eating.
"What's the Goblin King's name again?" Tetra asked thoughtfully.
"Jareth," Sarah answered instantly, in a dead tone.
"Jareth . . ." Tetra repeated a strange look crossing her face.
"Tetra?"
Now it was the other girl's turn to stare down at the table.
"I think. . . I've met him." Tetra looked back up to meet Sarah's eyes. "Does he wear high black boots, a black glittery coat, and way tight gray pants?"
Sarah nodded in shock.
"Oh, and does he have a way smug expression that makes you want to melt into a liquid pile of goo?" Tetra added, mentally drooling.
Sarah found her voice, "Yes, but where did you meet him Tetra?"
"I saw him . . . in my dreams."
Sarah felt a wave of anger course though her veins. How dare Jareth talk to her friend! How dare he do this to her!
"What did he say to you Tet?"
"He mostly wanted to know about you."
"Tell me exactly what happened." Sarah tapped her fingers impatiently on the table.
"Well . . . he offered me this strange crystal, and told me that if I told him some information about you, he would give it to me." Tetra blushed in shame as her friends face visibly drooped. "Sarah, I swear I didn't know who he was or what he wanted! I'm so, so sorry!"
Sarah smiled weakly, "I'm not mad, Tet. . . It even doesn't matter. When midnight comes around he's going to take me away anyway."
"Don't talk like that!" Tetra snapped. "Don't you dare give up on me! We will find a way out of this together."
Sarah laughed, mirthlessly.
"How do you expect to do that Tetra? Jareth has my friends and he will not hesitate to execute them if I don't go with him. I don't have any choices right now!"
"There is always a choice Sarah."
"But the alternative choice is too horrible to imagine. I can't let my friends die because of me!"
"We'll come up with something," Tetra said hopefully.
Sarah slowly started eating her food that was by this time cold. Though she didn't care, it still tasted good. It still had that fast food greasy goodness flavor to it.
"What else did Jareth want to know about me?" She asked curiously between mouthfuls.
"He asked about our friendship mostly."
"Like what?"
"Like what we do in our free time, what we talk about, your favorite color and hobbies, that sort of thing."
Sarah listened, intrigued that Jareth would be asking about such trivial facts. The girl finished her burger and sat back speculating on what her friend had told her.
What was Jareth up to? Why would he care about her friendships; especially when he was threatening to snuff out the majority of them? Nothing was making sense. Nothing was fitting into the giant puzzle she was trying to piece together.
"Are you done eating?" Tetra asked her.
Sarah nodded and they left the warm environment of Carl's Jr.
"I'm staying with you tonight," Tetra said adamantly, as they reached her truck.
"Tetra it's not safe. I don't know what Jareth is planning but I don't want anything to happen to you . . . Knowing Jareth, he'll probably want to take you along with us as a bargaining chip."
"That would be better than being separated from you, honey. Besides, I would like to see him try." Tetra challenged.
"Tetra-"
"Sarah you can't talk me out of this." Tetra interrupted. "I am your best friend, so I will stand by your side to the end. And who knows, maybe with my help you can defeat him a second time."
Sarah threw her hands up in the air, in frustration, "Fine!"
Tetra smiled mischievously, "And I must admit . . . Jareth is a sexy assed dude!"
Sarah punched Tetra's arm in mock anger, "You two timing- back stabbing, shizzer! Gahhhhh!"
Tetra laughed handing her the car keys. "Since this is most likely your last day here, why don't we make it memorable?"
Sarah looked at the keys in awe, "You're letting me drive the truck?"
Tetra rolled her eyes heavenward, "Oh come one! It's not like you never driven it before."
Sarah got into the truck immediately and buckled her seatbelt. "I've only driven the truck on one other occasion, Tet. And that was for a birthday present." Tetra rolled her eyes once more but didn't say a word.
They sat still for a moment, while Sarah decided where she wanted to go.
Suddenly she smiled widely, "I know just the thing."
"Oh dear," Tetra cried out laughing at her friend's expression. "We're in trouble now; Sarah the Goblin Slayer has got a plan!"
Sarah giggled shaking her head at the absurd comment and started the car, pulling out of the Carl's Jr. Parking lot.
"Where are we going?"
"You'll see," Sarah said still smiling. The girl sped up to make the light and they disappeared around the corner, a strange sense of hope filling her once more.
